Another rare Asplenium Scolopendrium Crispum ..............?

Wow! just cannot believe what I found this morning in Dalton Crags, yet another of the mega rare Asplenium Scolopendrium Crispum........? variety of Harts Tongue Fern, all three have been different.  Here is a few photos of No.3 which I found this morning.

 Base of frond - another different arrangement  (Click over photo to enlarge)

 Rear of Frond  (Click over to enlarge)

 Showing a nice frond   (Click over to enlarge)

Scolly - Crispum - Group - full 3 fronds  (Click over to enlarge)

Although I am out most days looking for ferns I really did not expect to find yet another one so quickly.  I suppose the "rarity" value is diminishing by the minute..  But seriously no it is so rare as the norm!  

Again this one is so different to the two previous and does have its own features especially so at the bottom of the frond.

To check out all the photos of Crispum Group No.3 (temporary name for now) PLEASE CLICK HERE and select first photo, then go to right and click through them.  If you want to enlarge go to top right corner and click on the magnifier.

To check out all the photos of Crispum Group No.2 (temporary name for now) PLEASE CLICK HERE and select first photo, then go to right and click through them.  If you want to enlarge go to top right corner and click on the magnifier.

Photographs have already been sent to Alec and other Fern authorities and awaiting their resolves.

Another Scollie! another fabulous 'Crispum Group'

The above photos are showing the rare fern at variant distances in situ

Rear view of the fronds - showing no sori and confirming crispum variety
  Click over to enlarge

Just can't believe I could find this rarity today, its another "Scolly" and this time its another of the rare variants "Crispum Group" with the Queen Anne (Ruff) look. Not quite as nice as Alec's earlier find but certainly worthy of the same "agenda" in fact this one could well turn out to be "fimbriate" according to two experts.

This one is slightly down a limestone gryke which does afford it some shelter on Hutton Roof Common.

Found lots of "forked" scollies in and around the same area and checked out the "Ramasum" and also the Southern Polypody which I found last year. Lots of Trichomanes look interesting!  I had one in particular which was coming from the rootstock of both Maidenhair and also Scolopendrium.  It looked quite large pinnae and I thought best to take a sample just in case (see photo below).  But I suppose if I was to really get into it I would never get anywhere because there can be something just slightly different at every turn!  so to a degree I need to be a little selective so we can at least then progress to cover some ground.  What I am trying to say is that everytime you go out its so rewarding and if your in the right mindset you are getting a massive treat everyday (well almost).

They do keep telling me that when you get a basic knowledge of the ferns and learn to "get thi eye in" that it becomes easy peezy - well I am not sure about that! but what I am sure about is that it is a great adventure which keeps building as everyday passes.  I love the search, the find, to photograph and then to be able to write about it, and record it and to have that great opportunity (thanks to Google) to `share it all with you

Maidenhair Spleenwort (asplenium trichomanes) (Click over to enlarge)
A little dry on photography but still shows the enormous pinnae sizes of this specimen which came directly out of the same root stock as a scollie! It certainly looked well unusual to me!

Another one of those Polypodys!

Green Spleenwort (asplenium viride) photo comparisons etc

Shows the flooded Mosses with Arnside Knott in the background - photo from Lancelot Clark Storth  (Click over photo to enlarge)

It has been a historic week with record amounts of rainfall throughout our area and the Cumbria area as a whole. Temporary Tarns have been turning up everywhere. So much is currently under water. I took the above photo looking towards Arnside Knott and the Hale Mosses to the West from Lancelot Clark Storth.

I managed to check out Hutton Roof yesterday (9th December 2015), firstly checking out all the sites for the Great Grey Shrike, but nowhere to be found, which more or less indicates that he has not arrived so far this year!  I have also noted this year he is also absent as yet from his other Lancashire stronghold sites at Waddington/Stocks areas.  The only birdlife this morning was a accidentally flushed Snipe and also a Woodcock.

Showing variations of fronds of the Maidenhair Spleenwort (asplenium trichomanes) - all taken at G2  (Click over photo to enlarge)

I did some Asplenium and Scolly searching and was able to relocate some Green Spleenwort (asplenium viride).  It was good to see that both clumps at this site are OK and I have taken a photo (shown below) which shows the type of habitat the (rare for these parts) viride seems to like, the damp sides of open grykes.  Also I managed to get a photo which includes a Maidenhair Spleenwort (asplenium trichomanes) which allows good comparisons between both of the separate species.  Can never help but show interest towards to great variation in some of the fronds.  I have here also included a photo showing how much variation there can be amongst the fronds with the viride species. I am surprised to see just how good the fronds look for this time of year!

This photo shows both Green and Maidenhair Spleenworts in situ and allows good comparison between both species  (Click over photo to enlarge)

I have so far been able to locate 13 clumps of viride at three separate locations over a total area of approx 300 square yards outside of this local area I have has yet not been able to find anymore. They specimens are at a altitude of approx 850ft above sea level and just under the height of the nearby Trig point which stands at (900ft approx).  The species is extremely rare in these parts although I believe more common to the Eastern side of the County.

Also I found a new area showing some nice Harts Tongue Fern (asplenium scolopendrium) variant "Undulatum" and here is a photo of it peeping through the base of a hazel.  Just could not get access any closer because of the tree. Also closeby (within one metre) I noticed some Polypody which at first glance looks very much like a Southern Polypody (Polypodium cambricum), although this cannot yet be confirmed without spore analysis.

Close up of the Green Spleenwort  (Click over to enlarge)

Harts Tongue Fern  (asplenium scolopendrium - variant Undulatum) - (Click over to enlarge)

I am quite confident it will turn out to be a Southern Polypody  (Polypodium cambricum) (Click over photo to enlarge)

Checking out Aspleniums

Monday 30th November 2015 - Dalton Crags  (1400hrs to 1600hrs)

The weather was atrocious earlier but did manage to get out between 1400hrs and 1600hrs to check the area of the escarpment (Rockcress Escarpment).  A couple of things of note are as follows.

Checking out the Asplenium Trichomanes (Maidenhair Spleenworts)  In one particular area and tucked away in the shade of a cleft within the escarpment, and a area damp with dripping water it was quite noticeable that the fronds of the plants were much larger that the normally typical Trichomanes we have come to expect.  I have published a photo here to show the comparisons.

Maidenhair Spleenwort  (asplenium trichomanes)
1 - Top: Standard average size of the plant. 2nd, 3rd and 4th down: Showing the sizes of the fronds (much enlarged) I found under the cleft of the escarpment.

I can only put this enlargement down maybe to being in a area which would be far more moist and also a area receiving more prolonged water feed during rainy periods, I have no other explanation to offer.

Also whilst out this afternoon I was able to find a large Harts Tongue Fern (asplenium scolopendrium) with a forked frond as follows:

Harts Tongue Fern  (asplenium scolopendrium)
Unusual to see the frond forked at the top

Also found some more Polypody which I do think could well be the rare Southern Polypody (Cambricum) pictured below: